The Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council is seeking applications for its STEM BEST® (Business Engaging Students and Teachers) Program.
Donor Name: Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council
State: Iowa
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Program
Deadline: 12/13/2023
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The goal of this STEM BEST+ H.D. fund is to support the launch of new or expanded STEM BEST K-12 models specifically focused on creating work based learning opportunities that allow students to develop future focused, high demand skills through authentic real world experiences.
To prepare the students of Iowa for future success, the STEM BEST + HD (High Demand) Program will focus on developing programs that foster opportunities for growth within the identified skill sets. These future-focused skills align with the Iowa Core Universal Constructs and create opportunities for students to be poised to become leaders and innovators of a future-focused Iowa.
Funding Information
The STEM BEST + HD RFP offers:
- Award amounts up to $40,000.
- The timeframe for expenditure is 17 months – February 2024 to June 2025.
- Cost-share requirement is 2:1 match required, or $40,000 state to $20,000 awardee.
Funds can be used for
- Facility Upgrades
- Purchase of Industry Grade Equipment
- Acquiring Additional Space
- Time For Program Planning with Partners
- Travel Needs for Exploration
- Integrating Curriculum into Existing Courses
Eligibility Criteria
- Applications for STEM BEST® Program must be submitted by accredited Iowa public and non-public school districts and buildings serving students in grades K-12. Clusters of schools and/or districts are encouraged to apply. This requirement then verifies that the submitting entity will be the responsible fiscal agent. The application must also contain evidence of the roles assumed by the partnering school/districts and other identified partners.
- Different school buildings within an Iowa district may submit an independent STEM BEST proposal in the same proposal period. Individual school buildings may not submit more than one proposal in the same proposal period, unless one is for school-specific BEST creation and another is part of a multi-district consortium.
- For those applicants who have previously received a STEM BEST® Program award or who intend to connect to a past STEM BEST® Program awardee, please note that there is an additional required section in the proposal form that must be completed as part of the submission process. This section will be thoroughly reviewed to determine merits of the expanded program model with regards to student engagement, specific measurable outcomes and elements of financial need. Also, if the number of total proposals submitted exceeds funding available, priority will be given to those proposals submitted by schools/school districts not previously awarded a STEM BEST.
Requirements
An applicant is required to provide a 2:1 match, if seeking the full $40,000 you required cost-share would be $20,000. The match may be either cash and/or in-kind support and match may be contributed by the applicant or a community partner. To be eligible as match, the cash and/or in-kind contribution must be provided during the funding period of the STEM BEST® Program award.
For more information, visit Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council.
